Spinach, roasted butternut, pomegranate salad with cashews and maple mustard balsamic dressing

Spinach, roasted butternut, pomegranate salad with cashews and maple mustard balsamic dressing

I made this salad last night for dinner and it was really good. I will try to document amounts here, but you can use whatever amounts of each ingredient that you like. Also, any nuts will probably work. I have a lot of cashews on hands, so that is what I used. Ditto the salad greens. I had spinach, so that is what I used, but anything you like will work.

For the salad:

Salad greens of choice

Cubed butternut squash, roasted at 375 for about 25 minutes until soft and beginning to brown

Pomegranate seeds

Cashews, roasted in a dry non-stick pan over medium-ish heat until brown

For the dressing (this is amount made enough for at least two plate-sized salads):

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Maple Syrup

Pinch Garlic Granules

Salt and Pepper

I layered my salad on big plate : spinach, then squash, then pomegranate, lastly cashews and drizzled the dressing over it all.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Southwest Quinoa Salad

1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I like to cook mine in veggie broth for more flavor)

Dressing : 

1 tbsp or so olive oil

1 tbps or so chili powder

2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp dried Mexican Oregano

juice of one lime

salt and pepper to taste

chopped veggies of choice, this time I used: 

one carrot

one small zucchini

about 6 green beans (raw)

two green onions

a handful of cherry tomatoes

a handful of fresh cilantro

but seriously use anything. Whatever you have on hand and you think will taste good.

1 14 oz. can corn
1 14 oz. can beans (black, kidney, garbanzos, pinto...whatever you have on hand) I used kidney this time


Whisk the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the quinoa and chopped veggies. Add in the beans and corn and stir to combine everything. Serve now or chill for later use.

I like to make a big batch of this and eat it for lunch until it's gone, so I know it lasts at least 4-5 days in the fridge.

For dinner tonight I served this over a bed of spring salad mix with some sliced avocado. Deeee-lish!

Glazed Rutabagas and Carrots

I made this for dinner one night last week, and as odd as this may sound, I can't get enough of it. Like, I have eaten it for breakfast nearly every day since, can't get enough of it. Perhaps I had been experiencing some sort of weird rutabaga shortage in my system.

Well, whatever the reason, I am still loving this recipe. It would make a great side dish with just about anything, or even a nice salad course on top of either spinach, or as in the picture, sunflower sprouts. (Or if you're weird like me, you can have it for breakfast!)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Glazed Rutabagas and Carrots

2 Small Rutabagas, peeled and cut into 'sticks' (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Cup Baby Carrots, or larger carrots cut into 'sticks'
1/2 Cup Water (more as needed)

Glaze Option #1

2-3 tsp Brown Sugar
2-3 tsp Butter

Glaze Option #2

1 Tbsp Apricot Preserves
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice


Sunflower Sprouts or Baby Spinach for serving (Optional)

Put the rutabagas, carrots, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the water boils, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft, 10-15 minutes. If the pot gets too dry, add more water.

When the vegetables are done there should be just a little bit of water left. If there is a lot, go ahead and raise the heat a bit to boil it off.

For option #1:

With just a little bit of water left in the pot, add in the brown sugar and butter. Continue cooking over low heat until a glaze has formed on the vegetables.

For option #2

With just a little bit of water left in the pot, add in the apricot preserves and stir to coat. Squeeze in a bit of lemon juice and cook about one more minute.



If desired, serve over a bed of sunflower sprouts or baby spinach. The heat from the rutabagas and carrots will wilt the greens.


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Cabbage Salad

This is a recipe I turn to time and time again. It is based on Mark Bittman's cabbage salad from How to Cook Everything.

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard (I used grainy)
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Tbs Sugar (or more to taste)
2 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 Head Cabbage, Thinly Sliced (about 3 cups)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Diced
2 Green Onions, Sliced
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Chopped Parsley

Whisk together the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the cabbage, red bell pepper, and green onions. Toss to coat with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to serve. The salad is best if it sits for at least one hour. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, toss, and serve.

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Balsamic Beet Salad

Continuing with the Valentine's Day theme, here is a very red side dish that can be served with any number of things, including roasted chicken.

1 Bunch Beets (about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds)
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Scrub the beets well. No need to peel yet, we will get to that later. If your beets are small, you can cook them whole. If they are larger, you will want to cut them into smaller pieces for quicker cooking. Mine were about medium and I quartered them lengthwise.

Put the beets in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the beets are tender. This will take about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. When the beets are tender (stab one with a fork or the tip of a knife to test for doneness), remove them from the heat and drain. Put some cold water in the pot with the beets to cool them down a bit and pull the skins off. They should slip right off. I like to do this with the pot in the sink.

Drain the beets and put them in a salad bowl. Cut them into slices or bite-sized chunks and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Stir to coat with the vinegar, then add the remaining ingredients and stir again. Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Bulgur Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

Yes, another squash recipe. I love bulgur, and I really enjoyed this dish, although I probably wouldn't consider this a Thanksgiving recipe, I'm sure it could be. I think of it more as a main course. Some sauteed greens on the side, and you've got yourself dinner! I will list approximate quantities for one small acorn squash (2 servings).

Bulgur Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 Small-ish Acorn Squash
1 large or 2 Small Cloves Garlic
2 tsp Olive Oil (divided)
1/4 cup Diced Onions
Another Clove of Garlic
1/2 Cup Bulgur
1 Cup Broth (chicken or veggie)
1 Link Pre-Cooked Sausage (I really like chicken and sundried tomato, but there are tons out there, use your favorite)
2 Tbsp Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1-2 Tbsp Pine nuts
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
2 Small Balls Marinated Fresh Mozzarella (or other cheese to melt over top- I chose fresh mozzarella because I had some leftover from last weekend. I think about any cheese would do the job')

Preheat oven to 375

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Rub the cut sides with 1 tsp olive oil. Place cut side down in a baking dish, with one or two garlic cloves (depending on size) tucked into the cavity. Bake until soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn cut side up.

Meanwhile, saute the onions in 1 tsp olive oil until beginning to brown. Add a garlic clove (crushed or minced) and continue cooking for about a minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the bulgur, reduce heat, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice the sausage in half lengthwise, then slice each half in half again (you want 4 strips), then cut into small pieces. Saute the sausage in a non-stick pan until browned, about 6 minutes.

Combine the bulgur, sausage, shredded cheese, pine nuts and basil. Stuff into the squash halves, and return the squash to the oven. Cook until heated through, about 10 minutes. Thinly slice the fresh mozzarella and arrange over top of squashes. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned, about 4 minutes.

Beet, Apple and Carrot Salad Recipe

This one is so simple, I don't really think it's fair calling it a 'recipe'. However, it is a side dish I turn to often when time is short and I need something quick. It also keeps well in the fridge and as such makes great snacks or lunches later in the week.

Beet, Apple and Carrot Salad

Roughly equal parts beets, carrots and apples. Scrub the beets and carrots. Core and seed the apples (I do this by cutting them in quarters, then slicing on the diagonal to remove the core and seeds.) If you are picky about such things, you can peel, but I never do. Shred everything with the food processor or a box grater.

For one beet, 2 carrots and one apple I use about 1 Tbsp Champagne Vinegar (or you could use Sherry Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Cider Vinegar, probably even Balsamic Vinegar. Try a few and see what you like.) and 1 Tbsp Olive Oil. Whisk the vinegar and oil, then add in the veg/fruit. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. That's it!

Super simple and so refreshing.

We had this with the Cornbread Stuffing and a wonderful roast chicken my DH made.